Junior Visit Day: Session Information

Student Morning Classroom Experience

The Crucial Generation – Sustainability in Your Lifetime? The Crucial Generation is your generation—the one that will live in a world of 9-12 billion people as they reach retirement age. This single number, when combined with a few other easily predictable developments (e.g. limited resources such as water and energy) suggest that we are in the single most exciting (and/or dangerous) time in human history. This first-year seminar will explore the diverse ideas of a series of different "thinkers." Each has a very different perspective on society. They don't even agree on whether or not our society is a sustainable one! After you are familiar with the current ideas in this field, you will be asked to decide what you think - or at least what question you would like to think about—and then go more deeply into the issues and learn to support and defend your position in writing. You will become one of the thousands of people thinking about sustainability from a rational, informed perspective. The rest is up to you, and your generation.

Far Side of Health: Gary Larson in his various Far Side publications depicts facets of life with a touch of irony and double meaning that I can really appreciate. Something else that I really appreciate is health, in its various manifestations. I hope to get you to consider health in three of its various manifestations, physical, mental, and spiritual, and how they can affect your life.

Knowledge – Searching for "Truth" in Information, Facts, and Statistics in the Internet Age: Do we really know what we think we know? How do we know what we think we know? These questions are straightforward and should be easy to answer....but are they? In this class, you will examine this type of question. If anyone leaves this class without raising their eyebrows or saying "I didn't know that" at least once, the instructor will buy them a cup of coffee at the library coffee shop!

The Rise of Popular Music in America: In this class you will listen to snippets of Western Swing, Blue Grass, Country, Rock and Roll, Grunge, and musical theater through use of You Tube and other audio and video recordings.

Afternoon Sessions/Tours

Athletics: This session includes information on Albion College Varsity Athletics, Club sports and Intramurals. Topics include recruiting process, NCAA/MIAA rules & regulations, medical care of our athletes and the philosophy of Albion College Athletics. Question/answer period welcomed.

Center for Sustainability and the Environment: The Center attracts students who want careers that make a difference, working in some way to protect and improve the environment. The program is highly experiential, including research, service, and internship opportunities, field trips to critical areas throughout the United States, and the E-House living learning center. At the information session, you can see pictures of these programs, including our recent field trips to California and Oregon, and talk with faculty involved with the Center. Join us in sustaining sustainability at Albion College!

The Dual-Degree Program in Engineering: This program allows you to spend three or four years at Albion pursuing the degree of your choice (usually Mathematics, or Physics), while at the same time earning credit that will allow you to also earn a degree (B.A. or B.S.) in a field of engineering after another two years of study at another university (e.g. University of Michigan, Columbia University, Case Western Reserve University). During this information session faculty involved in the program will discuss the many advantages of Albion’s program over simply earning an engineering degree at a major university.

Fine Arts: Involvement in the arts can be transformative for individuals at all levels of engagement. Whether you like to act, paint, dance, write, sculpt, play an instrument, sing, watch and appreciate the arts, or learn about their history, Albion College has a place for you. Music, theatre, dance, art, art history, and creative writing offer majors and minors with extraordinary study opportunities on campus and abroad. Classes and co-curricular participation are open to all students. Representatives from the various arts areas will present a brief overview of the Arts at Albion and answer any questions you might have.

Gerald R. Ford Institute for Leadership in Public Policy and Service: America’s first public policy institute for undergraduates, the Ford Institute was founded at Albion in 1977 by President Gerald R. Ford and has been training students for careers in public service and leadership for over 25 years. This unique, interdisciplinary program brings together a diverse group of students from nearly every discipline and major. The program includes courses in public policy, economics, ethics, political science, and an internship during the junior year. Our students intern locally or travel worldwide to fulfill this requirement, including (but not limited to) Melbourne, London, Paris, Berlin, Brussels, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, New York City, Chicago, and Albion. Each year the Institute brings to campus a number of nationally recognized speakers from both the public and private sectors. The Ford Institute also offers a range of community service and social events for our students.

Carl A. Gerstacker Institute for Business and Management: The Gerstacker Institute is for high achieving students interested in becoming leaders in business. Since 1973, the Institute has been helping students make their professional ambitions reality. Our vision is to be known internationally for our ability to teach young business professionals how to, individually and within teams, achieve incredible results in the marketplace. The Institute offers the following features to qualified students:

An opportunity to develop your career in the areas such as accounting, finance, international business, marketing, human resources, management or consulting

Full-time business internships (domestic or international)

Professional mentoring

Dedicated student computer and meeting facilities

A community of motivated peers

An interdisciplinary academic program incorporating English, Communication, and Philosophy

Institute for Premedical Professions and Health Sciences: Are you thinking about a career in cardiac surgery, psychiatry, physical therapy, pediatrics, veterinary medicine, biomedical research, or even medical social work? Do you like working with people but aren’t sure what career opportunities are available or how much schooling you will need? In this short presentation and question/answer session, you will learn about career options in health care, educational requirements, and how Albion's Premedical Professions and Health Sciences will help you actively pursue your career goals.

Prentiss M. Brown Honors Program: This program is unlike any high school Honors program in that the classes are not more difficult versions of ordinary classes. Instead, they are small discussion-based classes that are designed and taught only for Honors students. As an Honors student, you will take one of these stimulating classes in each of your first four semesters and, since each Honors class substitutes for other required classes, there will still be a great deal of room in your schedule to pursue other interests. Honors will offer you the opportunity to work one-on-one with a faculty mentor on an original research or creative project that, when completed, could become your Honors thesis. Other Honors privileges include chances to read books by distinguished campus visitors such as Kurt Vonnegut, Salman Rushdie and E.O. Wilson and to meet them while they are on campus. You will be invited to participate in field trips to concerts and plays, and you will have 24-hour access to the Honors Center located in the heart of campus in the old Observatory.

The Fritz Shurmur Center for Teacher Development: The Fritz Shurmur Center for Teacher Development collaborates with school districts and service organizations to enrich teacher development through mentoring opportunities, school and classroom-based field experiences and international study. Through the Center you will join with other students interested in education and be able to choose from among 15 majors as you complete a program that leads to certification in either elementary, secondary or K-12 teaching. All education courses combine theory with practice through different, intensive field experiences. The Center supports your development of educational leadership through participation in the Boundary Crossings residential practicum course and a unique student-teaching internship and Capstone. The Center further provides options for you to explore different perspectives on teaching and learning through administrative and international practicum options. Participants in this session interact with faculty to learn about the Albion College Teacher Education Program and resources available to an education concentration, such as comprehensive advising, preparation of digital portfolios, the Ferguson Center for Technology-Aided Teaching & Learning, 24/7 access to the Learning Café, and professional development with in-service teachers.

Study Abroad and Off Campus Programs: Off Campus Programs—opportunities to study, conduct research, and/or engage in internships abroad or in the U.S.—are an integral part of your Albion College education. About one in four Albion students participate in off-campus programs before they graduate. Come hear about the wonderful opportunities available through more than 120 programs in nearly 40 countries. You also can learn about Albion's residential language learning program, the International Space. A short presentation will be followed by Q & A.

Tour of the Art Facilities: Bobbitt Visual Art Center and the Ceramics Annex are home to the Department of Art and Art History. With nine spacious, brightly lit, and well-equipped studios, and an auditorium, two galleries, a computer studio and plenty of spaces where students can work and relax, Bobbitt is an ideal space to foster creativity. Tours with art and art history majors offer opportunities for you to visit each space, ask questions about the art experience at Albion, and hear more about the opportunities offered in the department.

Tour of the Nancy G. Held Equestrian Center: The 340-acre center is a premier equestrian facility located within a short drive from the college’s main campus. It includes indoor and outdoor arenas, stalls for 79 horses, and ample turnout space. The center offers student horse boarding, lessons from beginner to advanced, and hosts a series of competitions each year. It is home to the Albion equestrian teams as well as the new British Horse Society certification program. This session offers a full facility tour as well as time for Q&A with staff and instructors.